Kathy Cox- What a heart!

“Most of us, when considering what we'd do with $1 million, think of paying off debts, buying something fun for ourselves, and then maybe donating the leftovers to our favorite charity. Not Georgia's School Superintendent Kathy Cox. She gave every last bit away, and just last week had to file for bankruptcy. Having won $1 million on the quiz show "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" this September, Cox donated her winnings to three schools for special needs students.

Cox was the first contestant to win $1 million on the show. She had the option to either bail out and keep a small portion of her earnings or go all in, before attempting to answer the final question of the game. Even under all that stress, her first thought went to her students. She decided to go for it, not out of greed, but because she wanted to try for the biggest prize for those kids. That, and symbolism kept her in the game. "If I drop out, I have to say I'm dropping out. And that's not good for a superintendent of schools, especially because we're working so hard to keep kids from dropping out of school. So I'm going to go for it," Cox told the host.

Because her husband's home-building business has been hit hard by the housing and credit crises, the family felt they "had no choice" but to file for bankruptcy, a spokesman for Cox told the media. The spokesman made no plea for help or publicity, but read Cox's statement assuring students and teachers in Georgia that her bankruptcy filing "does not affect my ability to perform the duties of my job as state superintendent of schools." The spokesperson added that Cox had already set up a foundation to take care of the funds, which will be distributed by the end of next month.

Combining the above statement with her gift of $1 million to the schools shows the nation where Cox's heart really is: the schools of Georgia. May she stand as a reminder to the rest of us not to get too wrapped up in our own financial woes, and to think outside our own material needs and desires in this time of economic hardship.”

-http://www.wingsofjustice.com/08/11/woj08048.html